Dining in Las Vegas: Part 1

[rjwong]

I'm in charge of picking a restaurant in Las Vegas for 12 of us co-workers. We have a budget of $100 per person, including tax and tip (not including alcohol, which we have to purchase individually and pay for separately).

We are a diverse group, so a restaurant that has a variety of dishes would best appeal to everyone.

If it's located in a casino so people can go right into gambling after dinner, all the better.

I'd appreciate any help. I haven't been to Vegas in 30 years, so am totally out of touch with the eating scene there.

Greg

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check out Sensi at the Bellagio...wide variety of cuisine...Ducasse complimented that chef as one to watch

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Eliot, were you talking with Ducasse or did you read it somewhere? What else did he say?

BTW I second Sensi. Four different cuisines, an open kitchen in the center and a water-themed decor. And if anyone wants dessert, J-P Maury Patisserie at the Bellagio ...

[molto e]

I'm in charge of picking a restaurant in Las Vegas for 12 of us co-workers. We have a budget of $100 per person, including tax and tip (not including alcohol, which we have to purchase individually and pay for separately).

We are a diverse group, so a restaurant that has a variety of dishes would best appeal to everyone.

If it's located in a casino so people can go right into gambling after dinner, all the better.

I'd appreciate any help. I haven't been to Vegas in 30 years, so am totally out of touch with the eating scene there.

Greg

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check out Sensi at the Bellagio...wide variety of cuisine...Ducasse complimented that chef as one to watch

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Eliot, were you talking with Ducasse or did you read it somewhere? What else did he say?

BTW I second Sensi. Four different cuisines, an open kitchen in the center and a water-themed decor. And if anyone wants dessert, J-P Maury Patisserie at the Bellagio ...

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There was an article on Bloomberg...if you search it then it will come up.

[rjwong]

Thanks, Eliot! I found the Apr. 2007 article here :

Lim: Who is the next Alain Ducasse?

Ducasse: I'm surprised by the talent I find all over. There are always new chefs who propose many interesting new ideas, new ways of looking at ingredients. There's a chef called Martin Heierling, who runs the Sensi restaurant in Las Vegas. It's a very sexy restaurant, like a show in itself. He understands what he needs to do in that city.

[Elrushbo]

I'm in charge of picking a restaurant in Las Vegas for 12 of us co-workers. We have a budget of $100 per person, including tax and tip (not including alcohol, which we have to purchase individually and pay for separately).

We are a diverse group, so a restaurant that has a variety of dishes would best appeal to everyone.

If it's located in a casino so people can go right into gambling after dinner, all the better.

I'd appreciate any help. I haven't been to Vegas in 30 years, so am totally out of touch with the eating scene there.

Greg

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I think Bradley Ogden would be great for your purposes. Exquisite food, top notch service, most menu items would fit in that budget, nice, relaxing enviroment, and the casino is right there when you get done-but you wouldn't know it was right there when you're dining, which is a nice thing imho.

Where are you staying?

[orangeman747]

Hi,

I am going to Las Vegas in Feb. and need some restaurant suggestions...

I am there for 3 nights and there will be 4 of us... I am a very adventurous eater but some of us are not, so I need something that can please all of us. I am looking at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon and probably Bouchon too. Can anyone tell me if in Vegas these are recommended... any other restaurants to recommend (looking for the most fun, but also great food, service, atmosphere, etc... Picasso?)? (not so expensive ones that would be good for lunch would be helpful too)

[rjwong]

Hi orangeman747.

I was in Las Vegas in Aug. and Nov. 2007 and will be going there in two weeks. I think I can help you ...

First, how much are you et al. planning to spend per person? L'Atelier has a 9-course tasting menu for about $139, last time I checked.

Second, what kinds of cuisines do people like and/or DON'T like? Steak & shrimp cocktails? Asian? French? Italian? Seafood? Ethnic?

Third, where are you staying? Depending on where you're staying, I (and others) can help you find places that are more close-by, unless you want to drive all over the area and off the Strip.

The food at L'Atelier is really good. Back in Nov., I ordered the beef with lots of peppercorn that was excellent. I also saw and talked with Chef Robuchon himself. Picasso was a fine place. The food is nothing adventurous. Seeing the Fountains of Bellagio adds to a nice experience. Bouchon, I haven't been there recently. I heard different things.

Check out the various Las Vegas threads. That should give you an idea of everyone's preferences. I suspect that others will chime in later. And when I get back from Las Vegas in a couple of weeks, you can ask me some more questions, if you wish. Enjoy!

[Merseymike]

Just arrived back from 11 nights in Vegas.

It's an excellent food city.

Picasso was our final night's meal. It nearly was a disaster. We opted for the five course menu and after the first course everything stopped - turns out the order had been misplaced. But we were given very expensive free wine with the fois gras, and two desserts! The food is excellent. Its conservative, which is no bad thing - no foam! The ingredients and saucing is first class. Its also a lovely dining room. I would recommend it.

I think Daniel Bouloud brasserie is well worth considering. Its lively and stylish, the food is great classic French, very well cooked, and some simple options for those who aren't so adventurous.

Fleur de Lys was also very impressive. As was Aureole, though the waiters are SO humourless and stiff!

We enjoyed Todd's Unique Dining and Rosemary's - both out of the town centre in the suburbs. Rosemary's was superb.

Emeril's and Lotus of Siam were wonderful too, though not for those who don't like spice.

And we did the Alex splurge too. Its excellent - though personally, I preferred the style of cooking at Picasso.

[Merseymike]

Jrezpol - Rosemary's prix fixe, served all evening, is $50. Go, you will not be disappointed. Excellent and reasonably priced wine list too.

[orangeman747]

ok, so i need one or two more restaurants that are moderately price (less than $100/person... i guess that's "moderate" in vegas). Looks like Rosemary's would be a good choice... any other suggestions?

Also, can someone tell me how expensive the menu and JR L'atelier is. What is the cheapest you could go for? (without wine, etc.)

Edited January 13, 2008 by orangeman747 (log)

[rjwong]

ok, so i need one or two more restaurants that are moderately price (less than $100/person... i guess that's "moderate" in vegas). Looks like Rosemary's would be a good choice... any other suggestions?

Also, can someone tell me how expensive the menu and JR L'atelier is. What is the cheapest you could go for? (without wine, etc.)

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orangeman747,

I'll be in Las Vegas in less than a week (I can hardly wait). I'll be more than willing to help you out, but if you would answer the questions I posted previously, that would be greatly appreciated.

I'll have some answers for you in a couple of weeks.

[orangeman747]

rjwong--

looks like we want to spend under $100/person (hopefully more in the $60-70/person range, cheaper the better)

As far a what food, we are looking for things more creative/fun (ie. not shrimp cocktail and steak)... any french, italian, new american, asian, etc... would be great. Somewhere that could serve to both adventurous and non-adventurous eaters would be great ( I was looking at DB braissere)

We are staying at the MGM grand

[rjwong]

Thanks orangeman. The info helps a lot.

At the MGM, you'll probably make L'Atelier your big splurge meal of the trip. Shibuya is a Japanese restaurant with a sushi bar. I had their omakase (chef's choice) sushi dinner for $100. That was about 12 orders of sushi and sashimi that the sushi chef puts together. Don't worry: they have cooked Japanese food as well. If you want to go for a "popular" restaurant, there is Emeril's ...

At the Bellagio, try Sensi. They serve four different cuisines and their water-themed decor has an open kitchen in the middle of the restaurant. Fix has good food and it's more hip and trendy. You can see that from their website. For dessert, definitely go to Jean-Philippe Maury Patisserie with their world-class pastries.

At Caesar's, mind you, there is a new dessert place called Payard Patisserie, which I am going to check-out.

At the Wynn Resort, Daniel Boulud Brasserie is one of the best meals I had in 2007. Admittedly, the friends who treated me there knows the chef de cuisine and one of the servers. So they prepared a meal that was off the menu. I'm going back there and order from the regular menu. They do have an early prix fixe dinner for $48.

Besides Rosemary's, consider Lotus of Siam that's also off the Strip on Sahara Blvd., about a mile away from the Hilton. For something more casual in Henderson, there's Settebello, pizzeria napoletana, on Horizon Ridge & Valley Verde. It's located in a plaza with a Middle Eastern falafel place and Valley Cheese and Wine, owned by my friends who treated me at DB Brasserie. IMO, it's worth the detour when the Strip becomes a bit much.

I hope this helps. I'll have more current info once I get back. I heard the new Palazzo has opened. I'll be checking out the restaurants there.

Edited January 13, 2008 by rjwong (log)

[orangeman747]

rjwong - thanks so much for the suggestions! very helpful..... I'll let you know how it goes.

[Almost Juanita]

My husband and I are heading to Las Vegas in March and have three nights to eat. We are not on a budget. We are not looking for any particular cuisine. We are staying at Caesar's Palace for business, but have nights free and can venture anywhere. Who's got the word on where we need to eat.

[rjwong]

My husband and I are heading to Las Vegas in March and have three nights to eat.  We are not on a budget.  We are not looking for any particular cuisine. We are staying at Caesar's Palace for business, but have nights free and can venture anywhere.  Who's got the word on where we need to eat.

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[excited kid]... I DO, I DO ...[/excited kid]

But you'll have to wait. I'm leaving for Las Vegas this weekend. I'll be back next week.

In the meanwhile, what cuisines do you NOT want? How adventurous are you? Do you want to try the best restaurant at each of the casinos? Do you want something off the Strip? When you say, "We are not on a budget," is $500 (five hundred dollars USD) per person okay? Just a few questions to think over ...

I hope this helps.

[Almost Juanita]

I'd prefer a diversity of food (i.e. not all French). We'll eat anything, go anywhere. I don't feel compelled to pay $500 per person, but have before and will again.

[David Ross]

My husband and I are heading to Las Vegas in March and have three nights to eat.  We are not on a budget.  We are not looking for any particular cuisine. We are staying at Caesar's Palace for business, but have nights free and can venture anywhere.  Who's got the word on where we need to eat.

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You really have tons of choices within steps of where you'll be hanging your coat. Caesar's and the adjoining Forum Shops have plenty of great restaurant choices.

To the South and just across the street are the great restaurants of Bellagio and to the East and up the street a bit to the North of course are The Venetian, Treasure Island, The Mirage and Wynn.

But rather than make a broad swath across a big distance of the strip, and since you only have three nights, I'd stick close to your digs at Caesar's and here are some good choices that shouldn't disappoint:

At Caesar's:

Guy Savoy, Formal French Cuisine and Service, expect to pay about $275 per

person for the tasting menu, wines would be extra. A memorable experience well worth the high price.

Bradley Ogden, American Cuisine based on farm fresh products with a California influence. More reasonable in price than Savoy, about $150 per person for three courses and wines.

I would avoid Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. I think there is more allure to the celebrity moniker rather than a focus on outstanding food.

Payard Patisserie and Bistro just opened, French Bistro and Pastries, but it is really still too early to tell if it has settled in. RJ Wong will be eating there in a couple of days and report back to us. If you don't mind trying a new outpost of a New York restaurant, give this one a shot.

The Forum Shops at Caesar's:

BOA Steakhouse in the Forum Shops is a short walk out of the Caesar's casino. Good seafood and steak. Next door, and owned by the same corporation, is the Sushi Roku. As the name implies, fresh sushi if that is your thing.

Spago-the dining room, at the Forum Shops. Don't settle for the cafe that is out front and where you dine amongst the hordes of shoppers walking by, get a reservation in the dining room. While it may be a celebrity chef restaurant, aka Wolfgang Puck, don't think it is another chef is missing type of restaurant. The food is American with Puck's usual Italian and European influences, maybe a bit of Asian cuisine thrown in, but all good. I always have found the service to be very good. Some favorites: Blueberry Mojito Cocktail, Cauliflower Soup with Foie Gras, any roasted bird or the fresh seafoods.

If you do want to take a quick cab ride to another hotel, here are three of my favorites that are close:

Valentino at The Venetian, Classic Italian. While Mario Batali's B & B is getting the press lately at the Venetian, Valentino is a better choice for Italian. Bypass the cafe and bar out front and eat in the formal dining room. I will never forget my last pasta dish at Valentino-braised beef stuffed ravioli with a garlic cream sauce that sounds simple but was anything but simple. Delicious.

Wing Lei at The Wynn, Classic Chinese but using fresh, seasonal American products. Call ahead and ask if they can prepare a special tasting menu for you. It's about $150 per person. The ala carte menu is extensive and the Peking Duck tasting menu interesting, but to challenge the chef and the staff, and to get a really good taste of what they can do, ask if they can prepare a tasting menu. They obliged me when I made that request in May and the dinner was fabulous.

Alex at The Wynn, American Cuisine with French Accents. The dining room is grand, (Savoy is somewhat staid), the service relaxed yet gracious, the food is incredible. The tasting menu with wines is the best way to sample Alex Stratta's cuisine and runs about $250 per person with wines. At a private lunch in May, my favorite dishes were the vegetable crudites with a black truffle dipping sauce and the roasted quail stuffed with foie gras. Really wonderful presentations on the plate.

Let us know how your trip goes and please add photos if you can. Enjoy.

[jbzepol]

Back from Vegas! Thanks for all the suggestions and information; once again eGullet proves its worth.

And now...on with it (with some pics to follow soon).

Restaurants: Rosemary's, Nobu, L'Atelier, Picasso, Bouchon, 'wichcraft, Jean Philippe Patisserie

Rosemary's

Me

Hugo's Texas BBQ Shrimp

Twice Baked Parmesan Souffle

The special (a Foie dish)

Her

Panko Crusted Crab Boulettes

Tomato Bisque

Grilled Veal Tenderloin

Crispy Wonton Goat Cheese Mousse Amuse Bouche

This one hit me in waves. Mellow and creamy/airy goat cheese segued into substantial-but-thin "crunch" followed by a resonance of sesame (oil?). Woah!

Hugo's Texas BBQ Shrimp

Overall one of my favorite dishes of the evening. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, the BBQ sauce was neither too sweet nor too smoky and the slaw was fantastic; crispy and fresh with a nice bit of sharp "substantialness" due to blue cheese. The only issue, if you could call it that, was the portion size for the slaw. They could get away with about half (or 3/4 at most) the amount.

While the flavors were great, it had the tendency to weigh on the palate after about half way through, even after carefully negotiating shrimp-to-slaw bite ratios.

Panko Crusted Crab Boulettes

The little bit I got to sample was wonderful. The boulettes were light and crispy and the flavors delicate but with some presence. A home run.

Twice Baked Parmesan Souffle

On point execution; an "as it should be" souffle.

Tomato Bisque

A respectable soup, though not as attention getting as the rest of the meal.

The special (a Foie dish)

Unfortunately I can't remember all the flavors involved (mango maybe) but there was certainly onion marmalade and some greens. Once again the execution was right on point, but the foie itself was...a little pungent, gamey and chalky ("terrine-y" if you will).

I've encountered this before so I attribute it to the grade of foie as opposed to how it was cooked, though I am not quite certain about that.

Is it execution or product? If anyone can help me figure it out I'd greatly appreciate it.

Grilled Veal Tenderloin

Once again a solid dish. She wasn't too keen on the lentils, but she's generally not keen on lentils. The meat was excellent.

We were so stuffed and still on Eastern Standard Time at this point that we had to, regrettably, forgo dessert.

The next night's meal was at Nobu. I wanted to go to Wing Lei but was accused of the "always doing what you want to do" thing. She wanted sushi rolls not "Chinese food" (obviously not an eGullet reader). Through gritted teeth I suggested Nobu figuring, perhaps incorrectly, that it would be as good as any roll can possibly be. So...Nobu:

Nobu

Us:

Various Rolls

Yuzuscicle (twice)

Various Rolls

Alas she had her rolls.

Yuzuscicle

The dessert dish that made it all worth it! Light, clean, citrus, yuzu (a first for me...I love it!! I'm hooked!! Yuzu rules!!). The dish consisted of 4 mini cylindrical white chocolate sake cream panacotta-type things topped with a layer of yuzu gelee with a tiny scoop of yuzu sorbet over crunchy vanilla streussel/cookie crumb wonderfulness on the side of the plate! It was remarkable. For the first time in my life I ordered the same dessert twice in one sitting! Bravo!

I'd love to go back and try Nobu sometime.

Bouchon

Me

Boudin Blanc

Pomme Frites

Her

Potato Leek Soup

French Toast

Pomme Frites

Server: "In what order would you like your soup?"

Me: "Whatever the kitchen decides. Leave it to them."

Server: "Excellent sir."

Potato Leek Soup

The soup was served with a quenelle of creme fraiche, white truffle oil drizzle and finely minced chives. She thought that the potato could have been more pronounced; to me, it was perfect. The potatoes played the role of a subtle bass line, the leeks hit the high notes in dulcet fashion, the quenelle added a soothing lushness while the white truffle oil provided the ambient effects-- only noticed during fade out.

Boudin Blanc

I must confess that I was immediately thrown. This had been my first experience with Boudin Blanc and right away two things struck me: 1.) It was tangy. 2.) The texture was...and I apologize in advance for this...with all due respect to Thomas Keller (and probably demonstrating my utter ignorance)....perilously close to canned Vienna Sausages. It was not a bad thing mind you-- just unexpected. At least I now know that I favor Boudin Blanc to Boudin Noir but will not go out of my way for either. The scrambled eggs were perfectly cooked and that beurre noisette the ideal complement.

French Toast

"What is that?" the lady half of the couple seated next to us asked her server pointing to our dish.

"That's the French Toast." He replied.

"No it's like a pastry or something-- with apples." She continued.

"It's our French Toast." He said poignantly.

Now she was getting angry. With a look of 'you stupid waiter' and a frustrated sigh she spoke slowly:

"Look. It... can't... be...."

"It's the French Toast." I interjected before things got really ugly.

Long story short-- they were a nice enough couple, with obviously no previous restaurant work experience, who I think agreed with my final assessment of Bouchon's French Toast: "It's the best French Toast you're ever likely to have."

Pomme Frites

What fries should be.

L'Atelier du Joel Robuchon

Us

Menu Decouverte (with some substitutions)

The stellar kitchen staff was very accommodating. In fact...the big bad-asses were kitchen (of course) and the food runner Oscar (he more than our server, was on top of our timing). Our server (name reserved), however, seemed annoyed at the very hint of a question. I asked if we could substitute the Langoustine Fritter for the Langoustine Carpaccio. "I'll have to ask the kitchen" he replied. "Of course." I said. Another dish was the poached oysters. Due to dietary constraints my wife was not disposed to eating anything raw, but especially oysters. When it was time for the oyster dish, I had assumed from the description that they would be cooked (poached), my wife asked him how they were done. "Raw with warm butter." I explained the dietary constraints and the dish was quickly whisked away-- but no mention of a substitute. The next course arrived.

We finished it. Then her previous substituted course appeared (it had been sitting on the hot plate while I was still on the oysters course, only to be noticed soon after by the food runner who was all the while vying for the waiter's attention (who at this point was engaged in small talk with a female customer)). Demonstrating once again that the kitchen was spot on and hadn't missed a beat, the food runner was on top of his game and the waiter....was not home.

L'Amuse-Bouche

Foie gras parfait with port wine and parmesan foam

A pleasantly substantial and not too rich intro. It definitely piqued my curiosity.

La Langoustine

We'd substituted the langoustine fritter for this one and I am happy we did; light, fresh and crispy with subtle but present flavors..this was excellent!

Les Huitres

The oysters were nice and briny smothered in that wonderful butter; nice but not stellar.

L'Oeuf

"Earthy and rich but not overbearing" was the way I described this one. The meal was getting better and better, excitement mounting.

Le Potiron

Possibly the best dish to ever hit my palate! I'm still dreaming about this one. We moaned out loud! Intense pumpkin flavor, smooth creamy buttery "mouth feel", interludes of soft and sweet chestnuts, crispy croutons with whispers of a sliced truffle "back-end". Absolutely glorious! There is little I won't do to experience this dish even just one more time. Brilliant!

Le Saumon

Perhaps it was because I'm not very thrilled about salmon or maybe since the previous course was beyond all known compare. I really did not enjoy this one. Don't get me wrong, if you love smoked salmon you'll never have it this good; but I think you need to love salmon (not merely like it) to appreciate this dish. We took one bite of the salmon (meh) but ate the potatoes. The sous chef who cleared our dishes had jerked his palms upward, as if to convey the exclamatory question: "What happened!?" "Saving room." I replied to his gestured query, which was more omission than lie. We were indeed saving room, for had we finished the salmon dish we'd have most certainly only nibbled on the next course...

La Caille

"Amazing." After heaving read the eGullet posts, I went with the Quail/Foie/Mash dish and boy was I ecstatic I did (so was she). The potatoes are everything you've heard them to be and the quail/foie is phenomenal. This dish had so unleashed the primitive in me that I threw all civility out the window and picked it up and ate it with my hands when I could pry the meat off the drumstick with a fork no longer.

La Frambroise

We were told that if we opted for this dessert it would count as both of the ones on the set menu; since we were on a yuzu kick..."That's fine". It was the perfect ending to a stellar meal followed by espresso with a chocolate truffle. I am a little curious as to how the "La Mangue" was like, especially after having seen it, but no regrets here.

A quick note about the silverware. I didn't like their spoons. I found them to be a bit too deep. When I was having the amuse, after my attempt to down it all at once like a shot was unsuccessful (resulting in wiping out the parmesan foam layer), I had reached for the spoon. After my first bite and every subsequent one, there were remnants of the foie component left behind on the spoon. To maximize yield (and mitigate the gross factor of leftover food on your silverware) one was required to invert the spoon and use the tongue to scrape off the excess...kind of a pain in the ass with egg and soup dishes to boot.

Picasso

Yes the fountains of the Bellagio were an awesome backdrop-- on to the food:

Us

Prix Fixe Menu (with mains and desserts the only deviations between us)

Pheasant Croquette with Red Pepper Soup (Amuse Bouche)

Stellar! Absolutely stellar! The croquette was crispy on the outside and the filling was neither too gooey nor too congealed. The soup? Delicate yet rich flavors which hit all perfect notes; accentuating the golry of red pepper's only finest attributes. Overall my sentiments were identical to Robuchon's Pumpkin Soup. Possibly the best dish to ever hit my palate; my sharp-palate wife agrees (with respect to both soups).

Creme of Butternut Squash Soup with Marshmellows and Quenelle of Wild Mushrooms (Soup)

It seems as though Mr. Serrano's interpretations on soup lean toward the lighter side; lost somewhere between soup and consumme. Not that that's a bad thing. The flavors. It's beyond me how Mr. Serrano can coax every last bit of wonderful essence from its main component. Bravo!

Boudin of Fresh Lobster, Shrimp and Scallops with Tomato Coulis (App)

I had my doubts about seafood sausage, especially after having sampled some truely ghastly manifestations, I needn't have worried; once again a beautiful dish. Light, "citrusy", clean and very fresh-- each component shined brightly in a progression of flavors with whispers of tomato lingering on the palate shortly afterward only to dissipate as quickly as it came. Brilliant!

Me:

Sauteed Medallions of Fallow Deer with Caramelized Green Apples and Zinfandel Sauce (Main)

Perhaps I'm not the biggest fan of deer. There was nothing really wrong with the execution. The sauce and the veggies were absolutely spectacular. The protein was just a bit dry and gamey (despite its rare state). I should have gone with my first instinct and ordered the Pigeon dish.

Her:

Slow Roasted Prime Short Ribs with Gratin of Potatoes and Cabrales Blue Cheese (Main)

Meh. Honestly-- the short rib dish at Michy's (in Miami) was better. There was not a whole lot of flavor other than the meat which is not, in and of itself, a bad thing; however it didn't have that "fall off the bone" quality. It was good, just not stellar. The Blue Cheese Gratin though was so pungent it blew-out the palate. Add in the fact that it was on the dry side (not quite hockey puck but almost) and this one was a disappointment. Perhaps she too should have gone with the pigeon.

Me:

Mandarin Orange Chocolate Torte with Port Butter Ice Cream (Dessert)

Over the top! Out of the ball park! Brilliant! Bravo! Magnificent! Quite possibly the finest dessert I've ever had! The oranges in that sauce and the torte were to die for but the port butter ice cream was to live for! To add "perfection" to "awesomeness" what I had thought was a sculpted piece of dark chocolate turned out to be a dark chocolate tuille!

Her:

Chocolate thing with a crispy chocolate other thing, ice cream of some flavor and Caramelized Pears (Dessert)

Once again this was amazing! Unfortunately I cannot recall very much of it since I was caught up in the rapture of my own dessert; but I remember taking a bite with plans on having another but I never got there. It was gone. She had devoured it.

All in all Picasso was an excellent experience. The main dishes were the worst part of the meal; but I attribute this more to ordering badly than anything else.

'wichcraft

Me

Slow-roasted pork, red cabbage, jalapeÒos & mustard on ciabatta roll.

Very good! The pork was not quite what I was expecting tending toward the dry side, but it was done well and the red cabbage worked wonderfully.

Her

Meatloaf with cheddar, bacon & tomato relish on ciabatta roll.

The meatloaf was dry and could have been more flavorful. Sorry chef Colicchio..this one was a miss in concept (the meatloaf recipe) and execution. The relish was great though.

'Jean Philippe Patisserie

Go. Just go. Don't miss this whatever you do. I wished my stomach was a bottomless pit so I could've had everything. If you're ever in Vegas do not miss this place.

In-N-Out Burger

My favorite fast food burger by far. For those of us on the East Coast..it is reminiscent of Johnny Rockets but better (IMHO).

Thanks to all the "eGulleteers" for helping me out with our Vegas trip (rwong, bryanZ, et al). For our next visit we will get to: Wing Lei (dammit), Alex and Guy Savoy with aspirations of Mix and Joel Robuchon. Look for my Miami "reviews" coming soon. Where I'll post my honest opinions about:

Sit Down Restaurants

Barton G

Michy's

Rancho Luna (with pics)

Quick Eats

The Crepe Maker (with pics)

The Daily (with pics)

Le Sandwicherie (with pics)

Steve's Pizza

Sweets

Paul Bakery (with pics)

Sweet Paradise Bakery (with pics)

El Brazo Fuerte

Siciliano's Frozen Custard (with pics)

Thanks again guys!

[prasantrin]

Pomme Frites

What fries should be.

←

Has Bouchon stopped using frozen fries? When I ate there two years ago, the frites reminded me of McDonald's fries--great when fresh, but they aged quickly. And imagine my surprise when I found out they very well could be the same as McDonald's.

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! I can't wait till you finish up the Miami reviews!

Edited February 3, 2008 by prasantrin (log)

[rjwong]

Hugo's Texas BBQ Shrimp

Overall one of my favorite dishes of the evening. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, the BBQ sauce was neither too sweet nor too smoky and the slaw was fantastic; crispy and fresh with a nice bit of sharp "substantialness" due to blue cheese. The only issue, if you could call it that, was the portion size for the slaw. They could get away with about half (or 3/4 at most) the amount.

jbzepol, what do you mean by, "get away with about half the amount"? Well, bless your heart! Next time, you just give me that other half of the blue cheese slaw. I'll finish it up for you.

Sounds like all y'all enjoyed Rosmary's a lot? Was it worth drivin' all the way out there to have dinner? I like that place very much. The food is great and the restaurant is off the Strip!!

[jbzepol]

Hi RJ,

I meant a smaller portion of slaw; about half would've sufficed for me. It was good; but I think that I experienced a little of the Law of Diminishing Returns that Keller writes about. You'd be more than welcome to half my slaw next time!

Rosemary's was absolutely worth the drive-- an excellent value. I was a little concerned pulling up to it ("...in a strip mall!?"), but alas I trusted eGullet and, as usual, I'm happy I did!

Pics to come soon BTW.

Hugo's Texas BBQ Shrimp

Overall one of my favorite dishes of the evening. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, the BBQ sauce was neither too sweet nor too smoky and the slaw was fantastic; crispy and fresh with a nice bit of sharp "substantialness" due to blue cheese. The only issue, if you could call it that, was the portion size for the slaw. They could get away with about half (or 3/4 at most) the amount.

jbzepol, what do you mean by, "get away with about half the amount"? Well, bless your heart! Next time, you just give me that other half of the blue cheese slaw. I'll finish it up for you.

Sounds like all y'all enjoyed Rosmary's a lot? Was it worth drivin' all the way out there to have dinner? I like that place very much. The food is great and the restaurant is off the Strip!!

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[jbzepol]

Yup-- the trip was everything I'd thought it would be.

Yeah the Miami material should be fun; thanks for lookin' out.

So what's the story with the frozen fries?

Pomme Frites

What fries should be.

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Has Bouchon stopped using frozen fries? When I ate there two years ago, the frites reminded me of McDonald's fries--great when fresh, but they aged quickly. And imagine my surprise when I found out they very well could be the same as McDonald's.

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! I can't wait till you finish up the Miami reviews!

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[AnnaC]

We're just back from the meadows, and ate the following:

Bouchon

Weekday breakfast -

Lovely service, and the legendary quiche as enjoyable as you can possibly imagine. My boyfriend, startled at prices, ordered the standard eggs-and-whatever, and his sausage was really nice and potato croquettes just yummy. I appreciated good coffee (a restaurant rarity in my hometown) and munched on a strawberry croissant the rest of the day. Our waiter pointed us towards Vic & Anthony's when I asked for advice on downtown dining, and he was right.

Jean Philippe

As others have said - unh-hunh. I had the rose macaroon, lemon tart, chocolate eclair, cheesecake, and several other things I can't remember - I'm sure that "O" was awesome, but it's hard to recall through the sugar coma. Delightful. I know that macaroons suffer over time. but 24 hours after I purchased my last four pack they sure made our delay-filled trip home easier.

Bellagio - Buffet

My mother would have been proud - four glasses of champagne plus smoked salmon and leg-o-lamb for elevingses. I think I ate some blackberries as well, but really I just wanted to experience the Vegas buffet - we got a fabulous one, and at $60 dollars a couple felt we got a great value, even without a view.

Craftsteak

I know that this wasn't the most adventurous option, but when you're out with a beloved who is nervous about anything haute? Totally enjoyable experience for both of us. I was a little nervous when our waiter advised my boyfriend that they recommended the rack of lamb medium, but the bf pressed ahead and we both had a delightful meal. I got to order a half of wine that I very much enjoy (Biale Petite Sirah) and we both had a great meal. The learning experiences can wait!

We had a great weeekend. Thanks to everyone on this thread for their commentary - your guidance was invaluable in our planning process - EG is really an essential companion for your favorite travel guide!

Edited February 14, 2008 by AnnaC (log)

[rjwong]

Thank you for your report, AnnaC! It sounds like the two of you had a wonderful time in Las Vegas.

The restaurant prices along the Strip can be daunting. Perhaps, the casinos figure you can win a few dollars to pay for those meals ...

There are a few restaurants in Las Vegas that are affordable, mainly off the Strip. Mind you, there are a few bargains, relatively speaking, that are on the Strip. You have to find them, and we're talking about $50 a person for dinner.

How was Vic & Anthony's in downtown Las Vegas? I've never eaten there.

BTW Jean-Philippe makes about twenty-five different pastries. How many did you try? It sounds like you have a sweet tooth ... You might want to try Payard Patisserie over at Caesar's.

[jsmeeker]

So, what's the score on the dining scene at Palazzo?

Is everything there even open yet? last I heard, there was stil a lot of work going on at the hotel, even after it was officially opened.

Any place look interesting or have the potential to be great? I see Emeril has a place there (Table 10). I think Mario Batali has some sort of Italian steak joint as well. What else??